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18 Jul 00 - 09:32 PM (#260481) Subject: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: Rick Fielding A friend of mine way up in Thompson Manitoba (my old librarian from High school actually) has been liquidating his huge collection of folk records and just sent me a hundred of the most wonderful albums. It's not a commercial collection so there's no Dylan, PPM, or even Lightfoot or John Prine. What's in it are albums by folks like Paul Clayton, MacColl, Caedmon Trad Ballad series, and some wonderful obscure bluegrass. Last week Peter T. and I listened to Wilma Lee Cooper sing "Great Speckled Bird", practically with tears in our eyes. One of the most fascinating albums though is by Lonnie Johnson, on King Records (out of Cincinnatti) from the late 40s. He sings a couple of Alton Delmore songs! (Blues Stay Away From Me, for one) Now anyone here knows how much I love the Delmores (and Lonnie) but it's a connection I never would have thought possible. They obviously moved in very different circles. The Delmores were on King throughout the mid to late forties as well, so I'm wondering if Sid Nathan (the owner) got them and Lonnie together. In separate biographies, both Lonnie and Alton said that Sid was a crook (royalties you know), but boy, he gave us the music of some fine artists....Grampa Jones, Red Foley and Merle Travis among others. Any thoughts? Rick Rick |
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18 Jul 00 - 09:58 PM (#260494) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: catspaw49 Sid Nathan really got around didn't he? I think he's in the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame too isn't he? So Rick......Didja' get any of the "Brown's Ferry Four" stuff? I'd imagine that some of the things recorded before Travis was replaced by Red Foley would have some serious value...or even after for that matter. BTW, the Museum we were talking about of course has a little tribute to Red Foley of course. When I was maybe about 5 or 6 the "PeeWee King Band" came to little old Uhrichsville and played at the High School stadium and I got ALL the autographs on one of their songbook/program things. Long gone now and I think I gave it to the same person that I gave all of my Mom's sheet music to after she died. Look up "Dumbass" in the dictionary and see if my picture is there wouldja? Spaw |
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18 Jul 00 - 10:06 PM (#260499) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: Rick Fielding Ahhhh, The Brown's Ferry Four! Paw, they were almost enough to make me get religion. The Delmores, Grampa, Merle (or Red) I'm told that the HEE HAW Gospel Quartet (which featured Grampa) was based on the BF4. Peewee King? In those days I was too snotty to appreciate the accordion....not any more. Ummmmm the "Tennessee Waltz". Rick |
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19 Jul 00 - 06:17 AM (#260640) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Rick, as you know, I'm a great admirer of what I think of as "the other Lonnie" but don't know enough to actually answer your question (nothing new there, then!). As a sufferer from Recordings Acquisition Syndrome, I envy your new arrivals. Spookily, the tape I'm listening to in the car at the moment is one I've done to send to my guitarist friend in Greece and includes Mark Knopfler & the Notting Hillbillies version of "Blues stay away from me" as well as Lonnie J's "Careless Love" ( and a couple of Lonnie D's of course!). If this were the X-files they'd find that significant! Enjoy your listening! RtS |
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19 Jul 00 - 05:31 PM (#261057) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: Rick Fielding Scary Roger! If we don't get a few Lonnie-Delmore fans in here I'm gonna resort to my misleading/pun titles. Rick |
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19 Jul 00 - 05:58 PM (#261070) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: Frank in the swamps O.k. Just to spoil everybody's pun. On the Red Hot Jazz archives (I think it's in the links, but if not, it's an easy search...Red Hot Jazz Archives) there are a couple of recordings of L.J. and the great jazz guitarist Eddie Lang, but due to the racial crap of the day, Eddie recorded under the name "Blind Willie Dunn". Some really sizzling work from two musicians who blended together like cream & coffee. Having listened to E. L. recordings with Joe Venuti and Bix Beiderbecke I'd always been impressed with his ability to run short, but highly effective melodic lines through his accompanying chordal work, but when I heard these recordings I think I got a clue as to where he derived much of his guitar thinking. How astonishing that one of the early jazz greats was so rooted in the the blues!!! Frank i.t.s. |
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20 Jul 00 - 11:22 AM (#261559) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: Rick Fielding Frank, those LJ, EL duets are some of my most cherished musical memories. Oh what I would have given to be in that studio when they were being recorded. Just to hear the verbal interplay between these two great musicians. Had Eddie lived longer, perhaps in the fifties some jazz company would have gotten them together again. Rick |
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20 Jul 00 - 11:30 AM (#261568) Subject: RE: Lonnie Johnson-Delmore Bros connection? From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler One of my fave. LPs as well. RtS |